Elbebt l



E. L. COUCH.

BELT.

APPLICATION D APR. 4. I914. 1,313,266. PatentedAug. 19,1919.

a. v 9 Z O Y W tnesses: O v 6 7 v fiwenior:

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

ELBERT L. COUCH, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO COUCH-DEAN CORPORA- TION, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

BELT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 4, 1914. Serial No. 829,691.

and useful Improvements'in Belts, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to belts. Whlle a belt involving the invention is probably susceptible of general use, it is of prime ut1l1ty when incorporated in a dish-washing ma chine. A belt acting as a carrier when incorporated in this type of machine o bv1- ously supports fragile and frangible articles such as plates of different kinds. I have two elemental motives in view,.one the provis on of a belt by which the passage of washing water therethrough is insured,-and the other by which the articles are supported for movement from place to place without possibility of the articles vbeing broken. I provide an organization by which both these objects are attained in an eminently satisfactory manner.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification I show in detail a form of embodiment of the invention which to enable those skilled in the art to practise the same will be set forth fully in the following description. I do not necessarily restrict myself to this particular showing; I may depart therefrom in several respects within the scope of the invention defined by the claims following said description.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a belt involving the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of an intermediate part of the belt.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional end view of alink.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a portion of the belt including arts of a rod and a link and one of the gui e plates.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the links, and

bein formed up.

Li e characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The belt includes in its make-up a plurality of rods as 1. These rods, of which there may be an convenient number, are disposed substantia 1y parallel with each other, and

Fig. 7 is a view of part of a link prior to.

they may be of one or more sections. Said rods are held in position by a series of links Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

as 2, the terminals of the links being per- I forated for the passage of the respective parallel rods. One of the links is shown in Fig. 6 and like the others, comprises a pair of practically duplicate side members fastened together at their ends by bush ings 3. It is through these bushings'in fact that the rods 1 extend. The side links 4 are preferably constructed from a single piece of materialmade from a-stamping as shown for instance by Fig. 7 The connecting portions 5 are then bent, so that the ends 7 and 8, and 9 and 10 respectively come together.- A piece of fiber or other equivalent soft material as 11 having been inserted in the longitudinal seat or opening of the link, the unit is bound rigidly together and forms a complete article as shown for instance by Fig. 6. The links constructed as described are then placed upon the rods 1, for example as shown by Figs. 1 and 2.

Some of the links are constructed with the side plate or flange 12 as a side member, and these side members with said flanges or plates are placed upon the belt at intervals or otherwise at its edges or elsewhere as inv dicated in'Fig. 1. Said flanges or side plates act as guides to the belt in passing over the drums on which the belt travels, and they also hold the articles in place.

I find it desirable to have some of'these links divided. as at 13. This is of advantage. in assembling the belt for each one half link may be inserted separately or the edge of the belt or a portion thereof, constructed of alternate side links and flanges, may be connected and placed upon the belt together.-

other hard materials are likely to scratch or injure the articles to be carried, and'on the other hand these articles are liable to injure a metal belt. The fiber used is very tough and diflicult to injure, yet it is soft enough to prevent injury to any articles which are being moved from place to place. When any of this fiber or equivalent soft material is worn, it may bereadily removed and a new part inserted in its place.

As will be inferred I do not restrict myself to the particular form of carrier shown, as I contemplate the rovision of any conveyer provided with a dy portion of metal or. other material having openings, pockets or other means to hold or'separate a carrying surface of a different material which is relatively soft. The units of the carrier as represented are comparatively small, each containing a-base. portion and a carrying portion; they may be varied as to size or otherwise as desired. As I have already noted, the appliance is particularly'valuable as a carrier in a dish-washing machine.

What I claim is:

1. A carrier forfrangihle articles while being washed, the article carrying portion of the carrier being of open-Work construction to permit the passage of the substance used in washing the articles through the openings of said carrier, and said article carrying part of the carrier having a portion softer than the body of the carrier, which directly supports the articles to prevent breakage of the same during the movement of the carrier, the body of the carrier having means to gri the soft portion of said carrier and said so t portion consisting of a plurality of units spaced from each othertransversely of the line of movement of the carrier.

2. A carrier for frangible articles while being washed, the article carrying portion of .being held in the channeled portion of the carrier. 1

3. A carrier for frangible articles while being washed, the article carrying portion of the carrier being of open-work construction to permit the passage of the substance used in washing the articles through the openings of the carrier and said article carrying part of the carrier having a portion softer than the body of the carrier, which directly supports the articles while being Washed, the article carrying portion of the carrier being softer than the body thereof, and said body gripping said soft portion, and the latter being composed of a number of units separated from each other transversely and in the line of movement of the carrier.

in testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELBERT L. COUCH.

Witnesses:

L. A. HOWARD, Bnssrn Routers. 

